Tuesday, August 18, 2009

9 Years Later

...and THIS is where we are now! sippy cup-toting, snack cup-packing, hat-mandating, no shoe-wearing, kid-toting crazies!

When I was growing up, nine years seemed like a really long time. Think about all of the changes that happened between, say, 9 and 18, or even 11 and 20! And I couldn't wait for it. Now, I'd just like to play the years in slow-mo and hope they don't go by so fast.

Today DH and I celebrate 9 whole years. It doesn't feel like it's already been a year since we were sitting at Dos Caminos in NYC celebrating 8 and reflecting on how happy we were to have made it through the legendary "7 year itch." I guess this means I should start working on what we'll be doing for the big 1-0!! :)

Happy anniversary to a really fantastic guy whom I absolutely adore being with. So glad we both said yes and got to celebrate on that most gorgeous D.C. summer day. Not a cloud in the sky. Not a lick of humidity. Scrumptious crab cakes. All sorts of love in the air! I am so glad you picked me. I love you.

Friday, August 7, 2009

Early

For someone like myself who is a self-proclaimed perpetual late arriver (I think the trend started early on in life when I decided to put my mother through some ultimate summer love by arriving a whole MONTH late), I admire and appreciate those who arrive on time or, even, early.

So, look what the Dirty White (that's a color, in case you're wondering) Ford 15-passenger van brought home ONE WHOLE DAY EARLY??!! The two in the back (and C's dad too). And, this is just about how the two in the front felt when they saw all of the early arrivals!


Congratulations to all of you on your 54-mile accomplishment, no broken bones, no scouts lost, and no out of shape leaders having to be life flighted out! We missed you.

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Four


Hey babe! Getting closer! You're 1/2 way done! Yee-haw. Just got back from a 4-miler and got to reflect on the day and all the things I'd share.

Top of Mind: I had an epiphany tonight. While pumping my gas goodness into the car at the Arco Station tonight (I actually had cash) I could not help but overhear a most disturbing exchange. It was so disturbing that I wanted to cover Mr. A's little virgin ears in the backseat and hope he never hears/utters such things.

A clearly disturbed young man, who could not have been more than 16 or 17, was throwing down a ranting storm on his dad. Now I don't know the history or what had happened to them leaving their kickin' BMW 5-series. I do know, however, that, while standing at the entrance to the gas station this young man unleashed more profanity and untoward thoughts than I think I have ever heard directed at a FATHER. The father sat there listening, taking it, uttering quiet words and phrases, and never raising his voice nor stopping him. I looked at my sweet, innocent, Mr. A who has been known to throw around a "gosh" or two and just hoped and prayed and prayed and hoped that he would never ever ever speak to you or anyone else like that. It was ugly and distressing. I'm pretty sure you would never ever tolerate such language or tone but just in case you're wondering where I stand on the issue, I thought I'd share.

The kicker - the father handed the boy some cold, hard cash that he pocketed and that disturbed young man then got behind the wheel of that BMW and squealed off. What???

Missing tonight: I've often mentioned to you how much harder I find it to make good girlfriends as the years go by. I find myself gravitating to the ones I've had for many many years. Cell phones, the Internet, and time have only made those friendships richer. I always find a couple everywhere we live, though, which I so appreciate. Usually when you're out of town I find a way to connect with some of those girlfriends and draw strength from one another, swap silly kid stories, empathize, or even validate one another. This week I have missed my girlfriends. I have missed the validation, the empathy, the story swapping, and mindless chatter at times. They all seem far away for some reason.

I'm going to try to do something about that tomorrow, though. Darcy and I are going to catch up for a night of gabbing, empathizing, validating, and laughing. Only appropriate since she's my oldest friend of 28 years.

I thank you for appreciating my girlfriends' influence in my life and encouraging me to maintain those relationships as time has gone on. That means a lot to me.

Kids: Doing great. Miss M thinks she should be able to run now. However, she's forgotten that she hasn't quite mastered the art of walking just yet. We all break into laughter when we watch her push herself up to stand and start walk/running and then bail on the ground, sit up, and start clapping for herself. At least she doesn't lack self-confidence.

Mr. A helped me pick out Miss M's new water bottle tonight (just like the one above). It is just like his so that she can't "steal" his anymore. He was so happy to carry it around the store and give it to the checkout lady. He told everyone, "This is for my sissy."

Mr. A wore your bike helmet to bed and said that he would take it off when you come back. Hurry back!

Biggie biggie kisses. Love you, Me.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

LL 3

Dear DH,

Missing you today. Hoping the oatmeal is sustaining you and that large pack! It sure seemed heavy!

Good day all around here. Things that made me smile today (in no particular order):
  • My jump rope
  • My homemade granola (recipe passed down from my mom), ice cold milk, and some fresh blueberries - yum
  • Miss M's hearty eating habits - you should have seen her pound that turkey meatloaf, green beans, pineapple, and corn on the cob
  • Mr. A's conversations - today's favorite, "Mom, when Lola Fely goes to Connecticut, that makes me sad." Me - "She'll be coming back, bud." A - "Oh! That makes me sooo happy!"
  • Trader Joe's and Target - we're stocked for the road trip
  • Wearing a light jacket this morning (love the morning chill in the air)
  • Art imitating life: "Mom! Look at that hairplane! Mom! It's right over there! Look where my finger pointing, Mom! RIGHT THERE!!!"
  • Mr. A jumping and swinging with his cousins followed by a mean game of hide and seek as only a 2, 3, and 4 year old can play (you know, "hiding" in plain sight and counting in increments of 10s and 20s).
Things that I'd like your help with when you return:
  • The very slow drivers around this town (slower than the speed limit - come on!)
  • The wind chimes - they have GOT to go
  • The bike trailer/jogger that we ScOrEd on at the REI Scratch & Dent Sale - I tried assembling it tonight and I wasn't so successful. Your turn.
Can't wait to see the pictures of all the gorgeous scenery you're taking in. Hope the blisters are few and the aching muscles even fewer!

Biggie, biggie kisses. Love you, Me.

Monday, August 3, 2009

LL Day 2

Hey hun,

Hope you made it all 10 miles today! And, up those 3,000 feet. Lots of climbing! We were thinking of you.

I'll keep it short today. Here are the highlights:
  • Mr. A crawled into your spot in the bed at 4:30 AM-ish. When I asked him why he was coming in, he replied, "My room is SO hot, Mom." I didn't have the energy to take him back there. So, Mr. A and his entourage (the lil' blankie, the puppy, and the water bottle) ALL came in. He even asked me to go get his sound machine. I drew the line.
  • Miss M walks from kitchen table to the end table in the living room to go try to pull the light down. She's been better this week about not just dropping. I'm holding out hope that she will choose to walk more than crawl next week at FL.
  • Mr. A and I hit the pool for his daily swim and he only went from the pool to the hot tub 75 times instead of 90.
  • Mr. A had been put to bed 30 minutes prior to this comment: "Mom, there are kids playing in the park outside my window. Can you please go down and tell them to go to bed, too?" "Sorry, Mr. A. I'm not their mommy. I'm only your mommy and I only get to tell YOU to go to bed!" - "Oh."
  • My run started late - dusk-ish - so I ran home with the light of the full moon. Have I mentioned how very much I love the trail behind our house? It rocks.
Hope tomorrow's a good one! Biggie, biggie kisses (as Mr. A likes to say)! Love you, Me.

Sunday, August 2, 2009

A Love Letter from Civilization


A note: my DH is away for a week, a whole long week, without any form of communication available to him, or me with him, for that matter. He's up in the high high mountains of Washington with some people that he likes a whole lot, so that makes it a little easier! Nevertheless, I've decided to keep him abreast of this week's madness (and find an outlet for my daily happenings since he won't be coming home/calling in to chat). They might be a little long-winded but that's about how I get at this time of night and I can't call my sister (which is what he usually tells me to do) because she is sleeping in that Eastern time zone of hers.

Dear DH - It's our anniversary month! 9 years. Nutso. You've already been gone for 24 hours. It's a quiet Sunday evening. The air has cooled, the kids are sleeping (and will hopefully stay that way for many many hours), and my sister, K, just left. She came over for dinner tonight. I'm glad she lives close. It reminded me of the good, ol' Orem days. Siblings descended on our home on Sunday evenings. They brought friends, boyfriends, girlfriends, roommates. We cooked, fed, and laughed with them. Then they took our leftovers and went back to their weekly lives. And we to ours. Good times.

This morning, Miss M started her day at 6:45. It was early. I think she's getting a new tooth on the top. She didn't eat/drink/act very well today (except for the 2 1/2 hr nap she took in the AM, but that didn't make up for the 1 1/2 hr one she took this afternoon after church - boo). I'm sure you won't be shocked to hear that we were a few minutes late for church. I couldn't handle those metal chairs in the back, though, so we "positioned" ourselves on the last padded row bench where some couple didn't like that we were there and would NOT move down (they had room to move). Oh well. Miss M only grabbed at her skirt with her graham cracker/pretzel/grape-covered hands a few times. Not going to lose sleep over it.

We missed you during the 2nd hour of church when you have a magical way of making Miss M sleep. She would have nothing to do with that while I tried to rock her in a dark room. She must know that you're much more strict with her than I.

Seamons Sacred Naptime wasn't so sacred today, unfortunately. The neighbor's wind chimes would NOT stop. I'm sure they sound lovely at some beach house as you look out at the crashing waves and feel the ocean breeze. Not so lovely starting out at the running trail and hot summer afternoon. My sister thinks I should just go steal them in the middle of the night. I admit that, for one second I was tempted. Ok, maybe like a minute. Fine, am still thinking about it. They were THAT annoying. I might have slept for 20 minutes. Not sure. You know that sleep that borders on sleep, but you don't even feel like you did sleep and not enough time passed to make it seem like it?

Maybe when you get back you can take care of the wind chimes. Or, the heat. I hope it's a lot cooler in those mountains where you are and that you actually have to open your sleeping bag and get inside of it. Are you seeing any shooting stars? Those are my favorite. I remember fondly our nights watching shooting stars on the beaches of the Outer Banks. That was a long time ago!

Tonight after dinner, we all went for a Sunday walk on the trail. Miss M didn't make a peep. She just watched the bunny rabbits skip around, the bugs fly from bush to bush, and the bikers blazing by. It was just what she needed to wind down. Mr. A ate his Firecracker popsicle. It melted a little, but K and I helped him out when it got too runny.

We came home and Miss M went to la-la land. She needed it. K and I took Mr. A across the way and let him get some wiggles out on the monkey bars and play with his friend, Charlie (ps - does Charlie have a parent? She's 3 and I have NOT ONCE seen her with adult supervision there - am I just paranoid?).

Scariest moment of the day: I had put Mr. A to bed (story, song, prayers, the works) and promised him a popsicle for staying in his bed (since we've struggled with it as of late) and going to sleep. Next thing I hear is inaudible talking from his room. We go upstairs and he is LEANING out the window (he has pushed the screen out), talking to some punk 10 yr olds on their bikes enticing him to come OUT of the window and come down to play. Are you kidding me? I shut that window faster than the rabbit ran off when Mr. A "roared" at him today (he must have gotten his animals a little mixed up), scolded Mr. A, told him how badly he could have hurt himself (if not died), shut his door, and my Mama Bear kicked in.

I walked shoeless out of our front door and started hunting for those bikers. I found them. At the end of the next street over. "Hey, guys!" I yelled. They didn't stop. I walked faster. "Guys!" They turned around and started biking toward me (not stopping, though). "Were you talking to that little boy in the window back there?" One looks at me dumbfounded, "No, what are you talking about?" Cue growl. "Actually, I saw you talking to that little boy who was hanging out of the window screen back there." He keeps riding, "Well, he was already at the window." And now you lied. "Yes, I know he was at the window and should not have been, but that does not mean that you tell a THREE year old to climb OUT of that window and come down. He could have died." Standing on all fours (if I had them). "Oh."

I see a parent of one of the boys and he says to me, "He was already at that window." Hairs standing on my neck. "Yes, I know he was and he was in the wrong, but that doesn't make it right for your boys to tell him to climb out of the window and jump down to them to play. He's THREE. And, regardless of age, you don't coax people out of 2nd story windows to jump to what will for sure be an unpleasant outcome." Dad to me, "You're right."

I know. And that's why I then walked away. But, just so you know, DH, the fan won't be in Mr. A's window anymore. I don't care how hot his room gets. We cannot open that window with the broken screen. It's only cement below. And, I'll try to help Mr. A remember this moment in the future so that 7 years from now he's not one of "those" boys.

I'm glad I didn't have to try to track you down in those high high mountains of yours. Good luck hiking 10 tomorrow. I'll be thinking of you and willing you up those steep steep hills.

Biggie biggie kisses. Love you, Me.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Shore Excursion

Our closest beach at home is the Jersey shore. Compared with the North Carolina/South Carolina beaches of my upbringing, it leaves a little to be desired, however. I digress slightly. People often go to "the shore" for the weekend, the day, whatever.

This past weekend we went to our own version of "the shore" on one of the many lakes that surround us. Chilled water, perfect day, tasty sand, and a picnic lunch. Perfect combo. Notice there is no mention of lazily lounging on a beach chair while I catch up on my magazines or intently focus on my beach novel of choice. Those days are gone. For now.

Gotta try it - yuck

I love the beach

Now it's fun!

Busy at play

We wish she would just walk already! Her creeper crawl

"I'm going into the water!"

...and eating the sand and rocks

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Today's Best of the Best


Best sight of the day: Watching Mr. A and his little friends squeal with delight as they madly dashed through all of the sprinklers that were on in the complex. One set would go off and it wasn't long before one of them had discovered the next set that had come on. His last comments to me: "Mom, this is so fun! I run through the water and whoosh!" Simple pleasures.


Best quote of the day (from the man behind me in line at 7-11 when it was his turn): "Hi, yes. I'd like to buy a winning lottery ticket." Well, wouldn't we all.


Best instruction from a 3 yr old stalling to get to bed: "Oh, Mom. We better turn on the fan. It's going to be hot tonight." Does 85 degrees inside the house count?


Best product of the day: Pina Colada and Wild Cherry Mixed Slurpee

Monday, July 27, 2009

Big Bite

The weekend before last we ventured into downtown Seattle to partake of the donut delicacies at Pike Place Market and then to further consume the best Seattle had to offer at the annual "Bite of Seattle" food festival. Everything you could want - roasted corn, frozen custard, red mango, crab and shrimp melt, chicken pad thai, corn dogs, etc. We jammed at the kids' stage and ate our way through the festival. De - lish!

Miss M and DH rockin' out

Miss M getting ready for the good eats

Miss M's first corn dog - strategizing her approach

I'll try this way and love it

Lest you think we play favorites, Mr. A came down with a yucky 48 hr bug as soon as we got to Pike Place and was down for the count - didn't even wake up for the frozen custard - poor guy. And, he gave it to Miss M to enjoy 2 days later. Aren't siblings so nice?!

Things I Never Thought I'd Hear Myself Say

"Your quesadilla goes in your mouth - not your ears."

"You need to ask me before you climb up on the dresser and put all the gum in your mouth." (because it's highly likely I'd say yes, right?! duh.)

"Please give my cell phone back to your sister. She was playing with it first."

And, there you have it. My cell phone goes to the shop tomorrow morning, in case you're wondering.